Some Things are Meant to be Found
by Sarcasm and Grace
Summary: Secrets are nice; they allow you to live a life without the interference of others. However on of Severus Snape's biggest secrets is about to be discovered by a nosy Minerva McGonagall and be warned Severus when this secret is found watch your back.
1. Chapter 1

"Some Things are Meant to be Found"

by

Caitlinc1991

_Author's note: This is AU from OOTP, though I may incorporate information from the last two books. I am also looking for a beta reader if anyone particularly wants the job. _

Minerva McGonagall stumbled out the bathroom wrapped in the cozy confines of a red plush robe with hair still in curlers. She walked over towards Albus working at his desk in their rooms and began to massage his shoulders.

"Albus, you haven't even had breakfast yet!" she chided gently.

"Ah," said Albus breaking from his work and leaning back in the chair relaxing into the massage, "You're right, love, I'll just sit here if you'll be so kind as to continue what you are doing."

"Mmm…" was Minerva's noncommittal answer, but Albus was too far relaxed to notice it.

"Albus?"

"Yes, Minerva?"

"Where does Severus go? It always seems as though he is disappearing all the time."

"Minerva, he is only forty-one years-old, he is still a young man, he has other things that take part of his time. Is he slacking on his head-of-house duties?"

"No…" trailed Minerva, "It's just that, well, oh come on Albus!" noticing the way he was looking, "Damn, I just want to know where he goes!"

"Minerva," Albus replied warningly, "We all have our secrets don't we?"

Minerva nodded as she thought of their own well hidden marriage that was now over half a century old.

"If he has any secrets he'll have to tell you Minerva and unless he's slacking off on his head-of-house duties I don't want to discuss this again."

"Alright, Albus," she gave him one last squeeze on his shoulders, her lips brushing his as she finished the massage and then she went into the master bedroom to get ready for the day.

_At the same time in a spacious manor near Devonshire…_

Slowly opening his eyes Severus Snape pulled the covers off him and quietly placed his feet on the floor. Hissing with the realization that the floor was ice cold he realized that the permanent warming charms on the floor and air must have worn off. He grabbed his wand off the nightstand and muttered the charms again. He heard a sigh of relief once the charms began to take effect and he turned at looked over at his wife. He was quickly alarmed that sometime in the middle of the night Hermione had managed to kick off the majority of her covers. Severus quickly assumed that she must be freezing and quietly made his way to her side of the large bed. Brushing her bare shoulder as he tucked her arm he absently noted that the bare skin was rather warm. Assuming it was just from sleep he made his way into the master bath to take a shower and get ready for the day. After finishing his morning routine he looked in on his wife one last time and mused on how well this secret marriage had worked. The marriage was a secret not because they were afraid people wouldn't accept it, even though some would do just that, it was a secret because after the war both were declared war heroes and their celebrity status skyrocketed. Both of them, especially Hermione, wanted to be out of the public eye. So, after they were married, Hermione moved to Snape Manor and began a mail-order potions service and was hired on part-time as a potions researcher at the Ministry of Magic. This allowed Hermione, once their beautiful son was born nearly three years ago, to stay at home with Aurelius. Severus retained his position as potions professor and was still the head of Slytherin. All in all, Severus mused, it really had worked. He exited the master bedroom and went into the nursery. Stopping at the canopy crib he brushed his son's matted hair of his forehead and brushed a kiss on the boy's sleep flushed cheek thinking, rather melancholy, that this was to be the last time he would see his little boy until lunch and then only for about half an hour. With one last look he exited the nursery, made his way to the living room and flooed to his head-of-house office at Hogwarts and began to make his way to breakfast in the Great Hall.

_That's it; the end of chapter one. Please review it would mean so much to me. Look for chapter two in the next day or so and schedule allows. _


	2. Chapter 2

Some Things are Meant to be Found

Chapter Two

Remembrance of the Perfect Love Two People Found

By

Caitlinc1991

_Author's note: Thank you all so much to those who have reviewed as well as to those who will, hopefully, later on. Reviews truly mean so much to me and make my day. Any grammatical errors in this chapter I beg you to not be mad at. I am still in the process of finding a beta; however, if you alert me to one, I will go and attempt to correct it. I want to thank Debjunk. I did not even think about doing a back story and since that review I am. Here is the next chapter and it begins with present-day Severus and goes back into his memory. Since this chapter wasn't planned chapter three should be out soon as it was originally chapter 2 and nearly ready to go. Without further Ado, Chapter Two: Remembrance of the Perfect Love Two People Found._

Severus hurriedly swallowed the last of his toast and drank his now lukewarm tea. He hated the staff table with a passion particularly because Albus had, apparently, felt it his duty to entertain Severus in the mornings with too much loud conversation about the most inane things. Making his way out before Albus could attempt to make him take just one more croissant he managed to escape to his office with forty minutes till class began. Sinking into the overstuffed leather recliner he kept there he called for some more tea and once a house-elf brought it he began to sip gratefully. Closing his eyes he, as he did quite often, thought about how blessed he was that after all the wrong turns and horrible things that had happened in his life he could honestly say he was one of the happiest men in the world. Shaking his head it was funny how after that first encounter he knew how his life would finally turn out...

_Memory_

_New Year's Eve _

_Friday December 31__st__, 1999_

'Blast this stupid ball,' thought Severus Snape while mentally calculating all the ways he could get back at Albus Dumbledore. This ball was yet another party for a wizarding world still celebrating Voldemort's demise some two and half years prior at the end of the 'golden' trio's seventh year and yet another opportunity for the wizarding press to capture pictures of the celebrities of the battle and, unfortunately Severus Snape was called a hero of the war and had already had more flashbulbs in his face than he cared to have in his entire life in that night alone. As he lifted his wine glass he casually looked around the room and saw the only other person who appeared to be having as fun a time as he was a one Miss Hermione Granger. He slowly walked towards the small table she was sitting at while nursing a chardonnay wine and sat down. She looked up at the sound of the chair being pulled out and said nothing when she realized it was her former potion's professor. Severus waited for her to speak up counting on, perhaps too much, her know-it all trait that she would speak first. After about five minutes with her not saying a single word he finally spoke.

"Miss Granger," he said in his traditional slow drawl.

"Professor, come to gloat I suppose?"

"Of what, pray tell?"

"That after all Hermione Granger has done she still can't get a date to a New Year's Eve Ball?"

"Not at all Miss He---"

"Well I'll have you know that I had several gentlemen ask me and I turned them down.--"

"Miss Hermi---"

"And no, I finished it off with Ron nearly a year ago, it was just not meant to be. ----"

"Miss Hermione---"

"Yes, it was a lovely idea to host this gathering. I think it's very important for the survivors to get together and realize what they've gained since the war."

"Miss Granger!!!"

It was if that tone, calling her by her last name as if she was still my student, drew her out of her rant.

"Hmm what? Oh I am so sorry Professor it's just that I am so sick of the paparazzi and the questions and the invasion of my privacy. It's just that I'm so tired and---"

"Shush Miss Granger---"

"Hermione," she interjected.

"I beg your pardon."

"Call me Hermione, I am no longer your student and since the war we've been on equal playing fields."

I thought on it for a moment then agreed.

"Alright Hermione, but only if you call me Severus," I said feeling slightly silly as though I was back in grammar school.

"Of course," she paused and I saw she was apparently feeling how awkward our situation was as well since I noticed the blush creeping up her neck and cheeks that began at her full breasts.

"Wait a minute she's your student," I thought to myself.

"_No she's not, just a former student. Which is no big deal if you look at Albus and Minerva's marriage," that voice inside my head stated slyly._

"She's twenty years my junior!" triumphantly thinking that would quiet the voice once and for all.

"_Ah, but what is twenty years in the wizarding world? Not much at all Severus."_

"Shut the hell up dammit!"

"_See, I knew you'd give in," the voice said teasingly._

"Fine, just get out of my head."

"_Whatever you say I still won."_

I turned back to the conversation realizing the whole conversation in my head only took a split second and managed to hear her complete my name.

"Well, Hermione after this thoroughly awkward pause I am still awaiting my turn to respond to your rant."

Hermione, I noticed, did that pretty little blush again and it surprised me how much I was beginning to like how she did that every time I made a comment.

"I apologize Severus go on."

"As I was saying I completely understand your annoyance of the massive paparazzi who apparently cannot find another story cover and I was wondering if…" I trailed off taking a moment to think realizing that if I did what I was planning to do I would be taking off in unknown territory. Miss Granger, no Hermione's comment drew me back to the present and made me make a swift decision.

"If what Severus," she said gently.

"If you would like to go to a quieter place with me," I said quietly.

Looking around at the raucous party she smiled, as if to herself, and said, "I think I would enjoy that."

Then let's go and we did.

_Author's note part one of a series of chapters from the past thanks debjunk. I believe the next one will be posted by late tonight central time and another chapter or two by tomorrow night. After that I will be on holiday until late Sunday night without computer Access but I will have another couple chapters ready by the beginning of next week. I am still looking for a beta reader and want all of you to know how much reviews truly mean to me and I do hope you will write one. _


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